Valley Forge National Historical Park

On April 2, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Pennsylvania3 Comments

Located outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Valley Forge National Historical Park preserves an important part of the history of the United States. During the Revolutionary War, the site served as the campsite of the Continental Army commanded by General George Washington. Although it would end up being a source of national pride, it was almost the disastrous end to the budding country. With limited supplies and a harsh winter, although not as harsh as made to believe by popular myth, between 1,500 and 2,000 soldiers died from disease and malnutrition. Fortunately, they overcame the hardships and were able to gain independence for the country.

It was during their time at Valley Forge that the fledgling army trained to become an actual military force. Because of that, Valley Forge is often referred to as the birthplace of the American Army. Today, it is a wonderful park with reproductions of the huts where you can find actors portraying life as it would have been in 1777 when the soldiers trained at the camp. You can also visit Washington’s headquarters, which was certainly more comfortable than the log cabins that the average soldier lived in.

Actors Taking a Break (Notice the Cell Phone)

In addition to preserving an important piece of history, the park is also just that, a park with plenty of walking trails and open grass areas where you will find plenty of people jogging, picnicking, or simply enjoying a day in the sun. We lived in the area shortly after we were married and spent many weekends enjoying the park. We even celebrated our first wedding anniversary by riding horses in the park, which is a wonderful memory of ours.

When visiting the Philadelphia area, you should definitely make time to go to Valley Forge. With over 3,500 acres to explore, it is a great place to learn about the history of the early army as well as to enjoy a nice day in the park. Be sure to check the park’s calendar of events as there are a variety of things to see or participate in throughout the summer months.

Mount Falcon Park in Colorado

On March 24, 2020March 24, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado, Hiking5 Comments

A while ago, we decided to head up to go hiking near Morrison, Colorado, which is a small town just outside of Denver. It is the home of the famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre, but we were there to get up into the mountains and enjoy some of the last days of summer. Any trail that is close to Denver is always likely to be crowded with hikers and mountain bikers and this was definitely the case at Mount Falcon Park. We decided to avoid the main trail, Castle Trail, which was packed with families, and take Parmalee Trail instead. It turned out to be a wise decision as we ended up having the trail almost all to ourselves.

It was a beautiful day and the air was cool enough to make hiking thoroughly enjoyable. As with almost any hike in the mountains, there were gorgeous views and the wildflowers were still in bloom. The trail itself was steep at times, which is probably one of the reasons that there were fewer people on it, but not steep enough to be difficult. This happened to be one of the last hikes before the cooler, autumn weather arrived and it turned out to be a perfect hike to end the summer season with.

We don’t usually head north to go hiking, mostly because of the crowds, but we were glad that we decided to give this trail a chance. We use an app call AllTrails (or you can go to their website, alltrails.com) to find different trails to go hiking on. We have had many guide books over the years, but in this digital age it is easier to use the app, which also has ratings and comments from other hikers. In a sense, it is like TripAdvisor for hikers. However we find the trails, it is nice to find new trails like the ones at Mount Falcon Park, to go hiking on.

The Beaches of Acapulco, Mexico

On March 3, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Mexico1 Comment

We really enjoyed our recent trip to Acapulco and the beaches were definitely the star of our time there. We have been to other Pacific resort towns in Mexico including Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. Acapulco was unique in comparison to both of those for a variety of reasons. One is the proximity of Acapulco to Mexico City, which makes it a destination for locals who would like to get away from the city and enjoy time at the beach. Another is the combination of restaurants, water sports, and water that is suitable for swimming throughout all of the beaches that line the bay.

The beaches are very walkable and you can easily spend all of your day exploring all along the beach. You will find many different companies offering you the opportunity to rent jet skis, parasail, or take a ride on a banana boat. There are also people selling various items, especially jewelry, which is inexpensive in the area, as well as food. We didn’t find them to be as pushy as perhaps they are in other resort areas. As you walk passed all of the palapas that line the beach, you will get many offers to join the different restaurants for lunch and there isn’t anything that distinguishes where one restaurant’s tables end and another begins.

Perhaps because Acapulco is so close to Mexico City or because it is so far south and not as easy to get to from other countries, but there were not nearly as many foreigners as we have seen in other resort cities. It also meant that the crowds were much larger on the weekend than during the week during our stay. Regardless of its popularity among people outside of Mexico, we found the people to be friendly and the beaches to be very beautiful. The temperatures were quite warm, even in February, with daily temperatures reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit (about 32 degrees Celsius). Fortunately, the ocean temperature was perfect to get a break from the heat by walking in the gentle waves or going for a quick swim.